Believe it or not, Christmas is roughly two months away. In recent years, the NFL has turned Christmas Day games into an annual tradition.
This year, there will be two games on Christmas Day, and these star-studded matchups will feature some of the league’s elite quarterbacks. Let’s break down the NFL’s Christmas slate and preview both contests.
Which NFL Games Will Be Played on Christmas?
When the NFL schedule was released in May, fans immediately got excited about both Christmas Day matchups.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. ET. Then, the Houston Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Interestingly, both games will air exclusively on Netflix, as the streaming provider reached a deal with the NFL to stream the Christmas games.
“Last year, we decided to take a big bet on live — tapping into massive fandoms across comedy, reality TV, sports, and more,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer. “There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts. We’re so excited that the NFL’s Christmas Day games will be only on Netflix.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be the first professional sports league to partner with Netflix to bring live games to fans around the world,” added NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder. “The NFL on Christmas has become a tradition and to partner with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is typically this holiday, is the perfect combination to grow this event globally for NFL fans.”
Star Quarterbacks Highlight NFL’s 2024 Christmas Slate
Fans are obviously pumped about having two games to watch on the holiday, but they’re also excited about seeing some of the league’s top quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and C.J. Stroud.
While these games were highly anticipated when the NFL schedule was initially released, they look even better now after nearly two months of football.
The 5-2 Texans and 4-2 Ravens both look like legitimate contenders, while the showdown between the 6-0 Chiefs and 5-2 Steelers will also be entertaining.
It’s no surprise that Mahomes and the Chiefs are playing on Christmas. Kansas City is trying to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Their dynastic run has been extremely impressive, and all eyes are on the Chiefs since tight end Travis Kelce started dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. It seems likely that Swift will be in attendance for the Christmas game since “The Eras Tour” concludes on Dec. 8.
While the Steelers may not have a star at quarterback like the other Christmas teams, they could still present a challenging matchup for the Chiefs. Mike Tomlin’s team is well-coached and strong defensively, and Acrisure Stadium is a tough environment to play in.
In the second game, it makes sense that Jackson and the Ravens are playing on Christmas. After all, Jackson is now a two-time MVP and his games have become must-see TV. Jackson might be the most electrifying and entertaining player in the league, so he’s perfect for a huge prime-time audience.
The best plays from Lamar Jackson's second MVP season! 🎯💨 pic.twitter.com/A2x4yItUpq
— NFL (@NFL) March 18, 2024
Meanwhile, Stroud is the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and one of the league’s best up-and-coming stars. His sophomore campaign is off to a strong start, and this matchup against Jackson will be a ton of fun.
This is a rematch of last year’s Divisional Round matchup, and the Texans will want revenge for that postseason loss.
"It's just the beginning for you."@Lj_era8 with an awesome message for @CJ7STROUD 🙏 pic.twitter.com/CWl0i2GfiI
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 22, 2024
Also, both of these teams added star running backs over the offseason that completely changed their offensive attack, with Baltimore adding Derrick Henry and Houston acquiring Joe Mixon.
The new-look Texans have emerged as legitimate contenders (just like the Ravens and Chiefs), and the fact that the NFL scheduled them on Christmas is a testament to how far this franchise has come over the last two years.
While NBA games have typically dominated the Christmas Day airwaves, that may no longer be the case if the NFL continues to schedule marquee matchups like these that are sure to attract viewers.